This invention relates to a sensing system. More specifically, this invention relates to a sensing system for road construction equipment.
In the road construction arts sensor systems are utilized in association with road construction equipment such as road construction vehicles like pavers where a sensor associated with the vehicle has cables that go to remotely located sensors that are placed spaced from the vehicle sensor. The remotely located sensors are often positioned to provide readings to the vehicle sensor in order to steer the vehicle in a straight line or control the elevation of part of the equipment of the vehicle for proper use. Problems exists with these systems in that the cables oftentimes will get run over, damaged, or the like during the use of the systems creating costly repairs and delays to occur.
As a solution to this problem Applicant has introduced the use of wireless systems associated with such vehicles as provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/298,105 that is incorporated herein. As a result of the use of the wireless sensors new problems have occurred with how to identify sensors by a controller within the machine. Currently, four to six sensors are placed away from the main body of the machine and are removed at the end of the day. There is no need to return the same sensor in the same location because each sensor is identical and its work function is identified through the individual analog input port it is interfaced to if it is an analog sensor or through a CAN ID configuration resistor that is attached externally to the individual sensor if it is a CAN bus sensor. CAN bus (stands for Controller Area Network) is a message-based protocol, designed specifically designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer. However, a wireless sensor cannot use these two methods because there is no physical wired connection.
Thus, a need in the art exists to provide a manner in which to identify a wireless sensor system utilized with the road construction equipment. While one could present a wireless sensor transmitter that each has it own unique wireless receiver, such a solution would be expensive and create additional required time by workers to set up such a system. Alternatively, a worker could individually configure each sensor always installing each sensor in the same machine location or use manual configuration switches and/or buttons on the sensor to set up each sensor for every time the sensor is moved, which could potentially happen daily. Again, these are solutions that would be time consuming, rigorous and undesired.
Therefore a principle object of the present invention is to provide a time efficient manner in identifying a wireless sensor associated with road construction equipment.
Yet another object of the present invention is to identify a wireless sensor road construction equipment.
These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from specification and claims.